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Sesame Street discography
From its earliest planning stages, Sesame Street was designed to be a show that would use music and singing as a part of the material being taught. So it was only natural to release the musical content on records, not only to reinforce the curriculum lessons for children when they weren't watching the show, but also because Sesame Street music is enjoyable just for its own sake. The Early Albums The first six albums were released by Columbia Records and Warner Bros. Records, both well-established major labels. These were deluxe albums, issued in colorful gatefold covers, usually with bonus material such as posters, lyric booklets, and photos and drawings of the show's characters. This arrangement lasted for the first five years of the show. Image:SSBook&Record.jpg| |link=The Sesame Street Book & Record Image:MuppAlphabetLPOrig.jpg| |link=The Muppet Alphabet Album Image:SS2BookandRecord.jpg| |link=The Official Sesame Street 2 Book-and-Record Album Image:RFranklinLP.jpg| |link=The Year of Roosevelt Franklin Image:Album.havinfun.jpg| |link=Havin' Fun with Ernie & Bert Image:LiveLP.jpg| |link=Sesame Street LIVE! Other 1970's Albums During the summer of 1970, as ''The Sesame Street Book & Record became a best seller, Bob McGrath and Loretta Long also released their own children's albums. While not part of the Sesame Street canon (even though they both mention Sesame Street on their covers), they also became well-known albums because of the show's huge popularity. In 1975, K-Tel Records, known for their mail-order records of hits by various artists, became the first outside label to release an LP of songs from Sesame Street, drawn from previous albums. Image:Bobmcgrathfromss.jpg| |link=Bob McGrath from Sesame Street Image:Susansings.jpg| |link=Susan Sings Songs from Sesame Street Image:25greatesthits.jpg| |link=25 Greatest Hits Sesame Street Records In 1974, ''Sesame Street created its own series of records, on an independent label that was called Sesame Street Records, with a custom record label logo of the Sesame Street sign. These albums were manufactured by Children's Records of America from 1974 to 1976, and by Distinguished Productions from 1977 to 1984. Over 70 titles were produced over the ten-year run of the label. The catalog included reissues of all of the previous Columbia and Warner Bros. albums, although in less lavish packages than their original editions. At first, titles were only issued on vinyl, but over the years, they were also produced on cassettes and 8-track tapes. The Sesame Street Records label was shut down around 1984. Image:Bertsblockbusters.jpg| |link=Bert's Blockbusters Image:BigBirdSingsLP.jpg| |link=Big Bird Sings! (album) Image:CookieLP.jpg| |link=C is for Cookie (LP) Image:ErnieHits.jpg| |link=Ernie's Hits Image:GroverBlues.jpg| |link=Grover Sings the Blues Image:Frownumbrella.jpg| |link=Let a Frown Be Your Umbrella (album) Image:LettersNumbersLP.jpg| |link=Letters ...and Numbers, Too! Image:LPRoosevelt.jpg| |link=My Name is Roosevelt Franklin Image:LPSeeger.jpg| |link=Pete Seeger & Brother Kirk Visit Sesame Street Image:SSOriginalCast74Reissue.jpg| |link=Sesame Street 1 Image:MuchoLP.jpg| |link=¡Sesame Mucho! Image:LPsing.jpg| |link=Sing the Hit Songs of Sesame Street Image:ComeandPlayLP.jpg| |link=Somebody Come and Play (album) Image:BertErnieSingAlong.jpg| |link=Bert & Ernie Sing-Along Image:CountCountsLP(2).jpg| |link=The Count Counts Image:Album.merryxmasfromss.jpg| |link=Merry Christmas from Sesame Street Image:MonstersLP.jpg| |link=The Sesame Street Monsters! Image:Sesamestreet2.jpg| |link=Sesame Street 2 Image:60FavoriteSongsSS1975.jpg| |link=60 Favorite Songs from Sesame Street Image:AlphabetAlbumLP.jpg| |link=The Muppet Alphabet Album Image:YouLP.jpg| |link=Aren't You Glad You're You? (album) Image:Album.bigbirdband.jpg| |link=Big Bird Leads the Band Image:Bobsings.jpg| |link=Bob Sings! Image:Live2LP.jpg| |link=Sesame Street LIVE! Image:BirthdayLP.jpg| |link=Happy Birthday from Sesame Street (album) Image:FeelingsLP.jpg| |link=Let Your Feelings Show! (album) Image:CTW160bLettersNumberSigns.jpg| |link=Letters, Numbers and Signs Image:NumbersLP.jpg| |link=Numbers! Image:FairytaleLP.jpg| |link=The Sesame Street Fairy Tale Album Image:Sesamegold.jpg| |link=Sesame Street Gold! Image:SignsLP.jpg| |link=Signs! Image:LPsleepy.jpg| |link=Sleepytime Bird Image:TimeLP.jpg| |link=What Time Is It on Sesame Street? Image:10th.jpg| |link=10th Anniversary Album Image:Daydreamin.jpg| |link=David, Daydreamin' on a Rainy Day Image:FairLP.jpg| |link=Fair Is Fair (album) Image:MuppetMasquerade.jpg| |link=Muppet Masquerade Image:LPBlockPartyNew.jpg| |link=On the Street Where We Live - Block Party! Image:FeverLP.jpg| |link=Sesame Street Fever Image:Album.ss-storytime.jpg| |link=Sesame Street Story Time Image:SingSangSongSingalong.jpg| |link=Sing, Sang, Song Singalong Image:Annemurrayss.jpg| |link=Anne Murray Sings for the Sesame Street Generation Image:AtHomeLP.jpg| |link=At Home with Ernie and Bert Image:Dinahsong.jpg| |link=Dinah! I've Got a Song Image:Everybodys.jpg| |link=Every Body's Record Image:DiscoLP.jpg| |link=Sesame Disco! Image:SomebodyComePlayRainySet.jpg| |link=Somebody Come and Play on a Rainy Day Image:StarsLP.jpg| |link=The Stars Come Out on Sesame Street Image:SesameStreetWelcome.jpg| |link=Welcome! Image:Birdtimestories.jpg| |link=Big Bird's Birdtime Stories Image:Album.xmaseve.jpg| |link=Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (album) Image:LoveLP.jpg| |link=Love (album) Image:Album.peopleneighborhood.jpg| |link=The People in Your Neighborhood (album) Image:BertAndErnieSideBySide.jpg| |link=Bert & Ernie: Side By Side Image:Album.bigbirdorchestra.jpg| |link=Big Bird Discovers the Orchestra Image:CountPresentsNumbers.jpg| |link=The Count Presents Numbers Image:SchoolLP.jpg| |link=Getting Ready for School (album) Image:Album.gringiggle.jpg| |link=Grin & Giggle with Big Bird Image:Sesamecountry.jpg| |link=Sesame Country Image:Hanschristianandersen.jpg| |link=Big Bird presents Hans Christian Andersen Image:ExerciseLP.jpg| |link=Exercise! Image:FirstTimeLP.jpg| |link=For the First Time Image:Album.justfriends.jpg| |link=Just Friends Image:Justthetwoofuslp.jpg| |link=Just the Two of Us Image:Album.singalong-lp.jpg| |link=Sesame Street Sing-Along! Image:BestofBert.jpg| |link=The Best of Bert Image:Album.bestbigbird-lp.jpg| |link=The Best of Big Bird Image:Bestofcookiemonster.jpg| |link=The Best of Cookie Monster Image:BestOfTheCountLP.jpg| |link=The Best of the Count Image:Album.bestofernie.jpg| |link=The Best of Ernie Image:Album.bestofgrover.jpg| |link=The Best of Grover Image:BestOfOscar.jpg| |link=The Best of Oscar the Grouch Image:AddLP.jpg| |link=Born to Add (album) Image:GangLP.jpg| |link=The Gang's All Here! Image:MyRecord.jpg| |link=My Record Image:1983.JPG| |link=Surprise! (album) Image:Album.ssxmassingalong.jpg| |link=Sesame Street Christmas Sing-Along Other 1980's albums Image:CD).jpeg| |link=In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record Image:Album.sstreasury.jpg| |link=Sesame Street Treasury (album) Image:Album.campingincanada.jpg| |link=Camping in Canada Image:Followthatbirdstrack.jpg| |link=Follow That Bird (soundtrack) Image:ChristmasOnSS.JPG| |link=Christmas on Sesame Street Image:Album.favoritejimhenson.jpg| |link=Favorite Songs From Jim Henson's Muppets Sight & Sound Sometime after the Sesame Street Records label closed, many ''Sesame Street titles began to be reissued on cassettes by an educational company called Sight & Sound. While some tapes used the original cover pictures, others had new cover pictures. An important historical footnote during this period is that in 1987, the very first Sesame Street CD was produced, called The Best of Sesame Street, and it would be the only CD produced until the early 1990's. Image:SightSoundBestSS1987.jpg| |link=The Best of Sesame Street File:MuppAlphabetAlbumCassette.jpg| |link=The Muppet Alphabet Album File:GNL2305WhatTimeCassette.jpg| |link=What Time Is It on Sesame Street? File:NumbersGNL2403.jpg| |link=Numbers! File:SightSoundHavinFunCassette.jpg| |link=Havin' Fun with Ernie & Bert File:HappyBirthdayGNL227.jpg| |link=Happy Birthday from Sesame Street (album) File:Sesame street cassette - the people in your neighborhood gnl-228.jpg| |link=The People in Your Neighborhood (album) File:SightSound232FirstTimeCassette.jpg| |link=For the First Time File:Sesame street cassette - the count counts 233.jpg| |link=The Count Counts File:Sesame street cassette - every body's cassette 235.jpg| |link=Every Body's Record File:Readyforschooltape.jpg| |link=Getting Ready for School (album) File:SightSoundBESingAlongCassette.jpg| |link=Bert & Ernie Sing-Along Golden Music In 1990, titles began to appear on Golden Music, which was the music division of Golden Books. A mix of new titles appeared, beginning with tributes to Jim Henson and Joe Raposo, along with reissues of older titles. Golden's license lasted until 1994. Image:Berterniesidebyside.jpg| |link=Bert & Ernie: Side By Side Image:GoldenBestOfBigBird.jpg| |link=The Best of Big Bird Image:Album.bestofsesame-cass.jpg| |link=The Best of Sesame Street Image:Album.trueblue.jpg| |link=Cookie Monster and Grover: True Blue Image:Album.putdownduck-cassette.jpg| |link=Put Down the Duckie! (album) Image:Goldensleepytime.jpg| |link=Sleepytime on Sesame Street Image:GoldenBestOfErnie.jpg| |link=The Best of Ernie Image:GoldenSSAlphabetTape.jpg| |link=The Sesame Street Alphabet Album Image:Album.jimhensonsesame.jpg| |link=Jim Henson: A Sesame Street Celebration Image:Album.happybirthday-cass.jpg| |link=Happy Birthday from Sesame Street (album) Image:Album.sesamecountry-cassett.jpg| |link=Sesame Country Image:Album.joerapososesame.jpg| |link=Sing: Songs of Joe Raposo File:Golden1993ElmosFavoriteSingAlongs.jpg| |link=Elmo's Favorite Sing-Alongs Image:GoldenXmasSingAlong.jpg| |link=Sesame Street Christmas Sing-Along Image:BornToAddGolden1993Cassette.jpg| |link=Born to Add (album) Image:Sesameroadtape.jpg| |link=Sesame Road File:Singalonggolden.jpg| |link=Sesame Street Sing-Along! Image:Album.earthlings.jpg| |link=We Are All Earthlings (album) Image:Cheepthrills.jpg| |link=Cheep Thrills Image:Sesamecelebrates.jpg| |link=Sesame Street Celebrates! Other 1990's albums Image:Album.bobsesame.jpg| |link=Bob's Favorite Street Songs Image:Album.sesamebest.jpg| |link=Sesame Street Best Sony Wonder In 1995, Sony Wonder began issuing a new series of titles. This was looked on with interest by some ''Sesame collectors, since Sony owns the back catalog of Columbia Records, who put out the very first Sesame Street LP in 1970. While that album was not reissued on CD by Sony Wonder, the third Columbia album, The Muppet Alphabet Album, was reissued as Sing the Alphabet. However, one section of dialogue was cut which referred to turning the record over, which wouldn't make any sense to CD listeners. The Sony Wonder years culminated with Songs from the Street, an elaborate 3-CD boxed set produced in association with Sony Music's Legacy Recordings. This set was full of classic and rare tracks both from records and from live performances on the show. It also contained a detailed booklet about the history of the show, written by Christopher Cerf. It was the first time Sesame Street had received the boxed-set treatment from a major label, although several multi-LP boxed sets had been released over the years on Sesame Street Records. Sony Wonder continued to release new titles until 2004. Image:The Bird is the Word! Big Bird's Favorite Songs (CD).jpeg| |link=The Bird is the Word! Image:AddCD.jpg| |link=Born to Add (album) Image:Cookiecd.jpg| |link=C is for Cookie (CD) Image:Cdnumbers.jpg| |link=Numbers Image:Elmo's Favorite Sing-Alongs (CD).jpg| |link=Elmo's Favorite Sing-Alongs Image:Platinum All-Time Favorites (CD).jpeg| |link=Platinum All-Time Favorites Image:Sesame Road (CD).jpeg| |link=Sesame Road Image:Album.ssxmascd.jpg| |link=A Sesame Street Christmas (album) Image:Splish Splash- Bath Time Fun (CD).jpeg| |link=Splish Splash: Bath Time Fun Image:Bert and Ernie's Greatest Hits (CD).jpeg| |link=Bert and Ernie's Greatest Hits Image:Dreamytime songs.jpeg| |link=Dreamytime Songs Image:Monster Melodies (CD).jpeg| |link=Monster Melodies Image:Album.sillysongs-sesame.jpg| |link=Silly Songs (Sesame Street) Image:Sing the Alphabet (CD).jpeg| |link=Sing the Alphabet Image:Travelsongs.jpg| |link=Sing-Along Travel Songs Image:The Best of Elmo (CD).jpeg| |link=The Best of Elmo (album) Image:The Count's Countdown (CD).jpeg| |link=The Count's Countdown Image:Hot! Hot! Hot! Dance Songs (CD).jpeg| |link=Hot! Hot! Hot! Dance Songs Image:Kids' Favorite Songs (CD).jpeg| |link=Kids' Favorite Songs (album) Image:Cdoscar.jpg| |link=Oscar's Trashy Songs Image:Platinum too.jpg| |link=Platinum Too Image:Elmo Saves Christmas- Holiday Favorites (CD).jpeg| |link=Elmo Saves Christmas: Holiday Favorites Image:Elmo Says BOO! (CD).jpeg| |link=Elmo Says BOO! (album) Image:Elmopalooza! (CD).jpeg| |link=Elmopalooza! (soundtrack) Image:Elmo's Lowdown Hoedown (CD).jpeg| |link=Elmo's Lowdown Hoedown Image:Fiesta Songs! (CD).jpeg| |link=Fiesta Songs! Image:Elmo In Grouchland (CD).jpg| |link=The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (soundtrack) Image:Album.cinderelmo.jpg| |link=CinderElmo (soundtrack) Image:Album.elmo-orchestra.jpg| |link=Elmo and the Orchestra Image:Album.kidsfavesongs2.jpg| |link=Kids' Favorite Songs 2 (album) Image:Album.songsfromstreet.jpg| |link=Songs from the Street: 35 Years of Music Image:Cdgrover.jpg| |link=A Celebration of Me, Grover (album) Image:Happybirthdayfromsesame.jpg| |link=Happy Birthday from Sesame Street (album) Other 2000's albums Image:AreWeThereYetCD.jpg| |link=Are We There Yet? (album) Koch Records In 2007, Koch Records announced that it would begin distributing ''Sesame Street titles. The first titles began to appear in 2008, with reissues of albums that had previously been released on Sony Wonder. In 2010, Koch Records, now renamed E1 Music, finally reissued The Sesame Street Book & Record as part of Old School: Volume 1, a collection of long-out-of-print early Sesame Street albums. Image:Elmopalooza!.jpg| |link=Elmopalooza! (soundtrack) Image:KochKidsFavoriteSongs.jpg| |link=Kids' Favorite Songs (album) Image:KochPlatinumAllTimeFav.jpg| |link=Platinum All-Time Favorites Image:KochSingTheAlphabet.jpg| |link=Sing the Alphabet Image:BestElmo.jpg| |link=The Best of Elmo (album) Image:Hotdance.jpg| |link=Hot! Hot! Hot! Dance Songs Image:ElmosavesKoch.jpg| |link=Elmo Saves Christmas: Holiday Favorites Image:Kochsesamexmas.jpg‎| |link=A Sesame Street Christmas (album) Image:Sillysongsreissue.jpg‎| |link=Silly Songs (Sesame Street) Image:Oldschoolcdcover.jpg| |link=Old School: Volume 1 (CD) Image:Oldschoolcd2.jpg| |link=Old School: Volume 2 (CD) Download-only Albums Beginning in 2011, Sesame Street began to offer their back catalog of albums as downloads through Amazon.com and The iTunes Store. They also released the following compilations. Image:SesameStreetMusicAmazonSampler.jpg| |link=Sesame Street Music: Amazon Sampler Image:SesameStreetChristmasCollection.jpg| |link=Sesame Street: Christmas Collection SesameStreetValentinesCollection.jpg| |link=Valentine's Collection In addition to the main library of Sesame Street music, over the years, original cast albums have been sold at the ''Sesame Street Live shows. See Sesame Street Live Discography for a chronological list of titles. See also *Sesame Street Singles *Sesame Street 45 RPM Sets *Sesame Street Book and Audio Sets Discography *Sesame Street Live Discography *Sesame Street Videography Category:Sesame Street Albums Category:Discographies